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Abstract

Disclosed are nanoparticles having a metallic core consisting essentially of superparamagnetic iron oxide: a polymeric coat surrounding said core, the coat having a matrix of polyacrylic acid and forming an outer periphery of said nanoparticle; a pleurality of hydrophobic pockets formed by the polymeric coat; a plurality of carboxylic groups along an outer periphery of the polymeric coat and effective to conjugate with a predeterminded targeting ligand which functionalizes the nanoparticle; a lipophylic fluorescent dye encapsulated in the pleurality of hydrophobix pockets. Associated methods of making the nanoparticles and of treatments using the nanoparticles are also disclosed.